Described herein are polymerization catalysts having a structure according to formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein

##STR00002##

is a diimine ligand, A.sup.− is a counter anion, and R.sup.2 is a fluorinated alkane, alkene or alkyne, a fluorinated aromatic, a fluorinated cycloalkane or cylcoalkene, a fluorinated heteroaromatic, or a fluorinated heterocyclic. Also described herein are polymers having a terminus having a structure according to Formula (3):

##STR00003##

wherein R.sup.2 is a fluorinated alkane, alkene or alkyne, a fluorinated aromatic, a fluorinated cycloalkane or cylcoalkene, a fluorinated heteroaromatic, or a fluorinated heterocyclic.

Disclosed herein is a process of producing a polymeric dispersion by free radical emulsion polymerization of a monomer composition including ethylenically unsaturated monomers in the presence of a block copolymer. The block copolymer has a first block including at least 80 wt.-% units of alkyl acrylate and a second block including units of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer with sulfonic acid groups. Either the first or the second block is connected with a nitroxyl radical. The polymeric dispersion is obtainable by the disclosed process, and the block copolymer is used in the process. Further disclosed herein is a method of using the block copolymer as an emulsifying agent for free radical emulsion polymerization.

A copolymer includes a hydrophobic head segment and a random copolymer tail segment comprising hydrophobic blocks and ionizable blocks. Emulsion polymerization systems incorporate the copolymer as a surfactant.

The present invention relates to a process for the polymerization of a composition in the presence of at least one block copolymer, and also to the products obtained by this polymerization process. The present invention also relates to the use of the products obtained using the polymerization process which is a subject matter of the invention.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a poly(meth)acrylic acid, characterized in that a (meth)acrylic acid-containing process stream from (meth)acrolein synthesis is subjected to free-radical polymerization. The invention also relates to the esterification of the polymer obtained to give a homopolymer or copolymer ester, and to the use thereof as additive, flow improver and water reducer.

The present invention relates to a high performance cross-linked triblock cationic functionalized polymer for electrochemical applications, and methods of making and using the same. The invention also relates to a tunable hydrogenated polymer, that can be functionalized with a particular cation for a particular application, and the method of making the hydrogenated polymer and tuning the hydrogenated polymer for the application.

A reducing agent monomer for preparing a styrene-acrylic emulsion by an oxidation-reduction reaction at room temperature and a synthesis method thereof are disclosed. Maleic anhydride (MAH) and dimethylethanolamine (DMEA) are used as raw materials to synthesize the reducing agent monomer: 4-(2-(dimethylamino)ethoxy)-4-oxobut-2-enoic acid, and the synthesis method involves inexpensive easily-available raw materials, simple synthesis conditions, and easy purification. With the synthesized reducing agent monomer as a reducing agent, potassium persulfate (KPS) as an oxidizing agent, water as a dispersion medium, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as an emulsifier, and styrene, butyl acrylate (BA), and methylmethacrylate (MMA) as comonomers, free-radical microemulsion polymerization is conducted at room temperature to obtain a styrene-acrylic emulsion. In the synthesis of the styrene-acrylic emulsion, a monomer conversion rate is high, and a styrene-acrylic emulsion with a high molecular weight and a branched structure can be obtained at room temperature.

Aqueous silicone polymer emulsion The presently claimed invention relates to a composition in form of an emulsion of water incompatible silicone oil comprising droplets of silicone oil dispersed in a continuous aqueous phase. The composition provides better slip and mar resistance, anti-blocking properties and optical properties to the coating formulations, printing ink, personal care product compositions, textiles, leather and indirect food contact applications.

The invention relates to a method for producing a polymer by means of nitroxyl-controlled polymerisation. According to the invention, a mixture is initiated which contains at least one radically polymerisable monomer and additionally contains at least one initiator, at least one reactive agent that converts at least one portion of the alkoxyamine end groups produced during the radical polymerisation into a non-polymerisable group, and at least one additive that accelerates the hydroxyl-controlled polymerisation and/or the conversion of the alkoxyamine end groups into a non-polymerisable group.

The present application may provide a block copolymer and a use thereof. The block copolymer of the present application has excellent self-assembly properties or phase separation characteristics, to which various functions to be required can also be freely imparted.